Side tensioning system for retaining screen media in a vibrating-type screening machine

Abstract

A side tensioning assembly for retaining screen media to the side plates of a vibrating-type screening machine includes a support structure for supporting the screen media and a tensioning rail mountable to at least one side plate. At least one bolt assembly is provided for fastening the tensioning rail to at least one of the side plates. Each bolt assembly including a bolt connectable to the tensioning rail, at least one of side plates and at least one bolt engaging structure on a surface of the side plate. Each bolt engaging structure includes a cutout. The cutout is sized larger than the bolt but smaller than a nut. The movable plate has a bolt-securing position and a bolt-releasing position.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A side tensioning assembly for retaining screen media to a side plate in a vibrating-type screening machine, the side plate having an inner surface and an outer surface, the side tensioning assembly comprising:
 a tensioning rail mountable to the inner surface of the side plate and connectable to a portion of the screen media; 
 at least one wedge-shaped structure mountable to the outer surface of the side plate; and 
 at least one bolt assembly for fastening the tensioning rail to the side plate and to the at least one wedge-shaped structure; the at least one bolt assembly including a bolt connectable to the tensioning rail, the side plate and the at least one of wedge-shaped structure, a nut threadably engaged with the bolt for retaining the bolt to the at least one the wedge-shaped structure; 
 the at least one wedge-shaped structure including an aperture defined therein sized to allow the bolt assembly unobstructed passage therethrough, and a movable plate with a cutout formed therein; the cutout being sized larger than the bolt but smaller than the nut; the movable plate being movable between a bolt-securing position and a bolt-releasing position; 
 in the bolt-securing position, the movable plate partially occluding the aperture in the wedge-shaped structure with the cutout aligned with the aperture in the wedge-shaped structure such that when the bolt is tightly fastened to the wedge-shaped structure with the nut, the tensioning rail is drawn tightly against the inner surface of the side rail thereby applying a tensile force to the portion of the screen media; 
 in the bolt-releasing position, the movable plate being positioned so as to provide unobstructed access to the aperture in the wedge-shaped structure such that the bolt assembly can be detached from the wedge-shaped structure without requiring disassembly of the bolt assembly. 
 
     
     
       2. A side tensioning assembly for retaining screen media to a side plate in a vibrating-type screening machine, the side plate having at least one aperture, an inner surface and an outer surface, the side tensioning assembly comprising:
 a tensioning rail mountable to the inner surface of the side plate and connectable to a portion of the screen media; 
 at least one bolt engaging structure mountable to the outer surface of the side plate; and 
 at least one bolt assembly for fastening the tensioning rail to the side plate and to the at least one bolt engaging structure; the at least one bolt assembly including a bolt connectable to the tensioning rail, the side plate and the at least one bolt engaging structure, a nut threadably engaged with the bolt for retaining the bolt to the at least one bolt engaging structure; 
 the at least one bolt engaging structure including a cutout formed therein sized larger than the bolt but smaller than the nut; the at least one bolt engaging structure being movable between a bolt-securing position and a bolt-releasing position; 
 in the bolt-securing position, the bolt engaging structure occluding the at least one aperture in the side plate with the cutout aligned with the at least one aperture in the side plate such that when the bolt is tightly fastened to the bolt engaging structure with the nut, the tensioning rail is drawn tightly against the inner surface of the side rail thereby applying a tensile force to the portion of the screen media; 
 in the bolt-releasing position, the bolt engaging structure being positioned so as to provide unobstructed access to the cutout in the side plate such that the bolt assembly can be detached from the side plate without requiring disassembly of the bolt assembly. 
 
     
     
       3. The side tensioning assembly of  claim 2  wherein the bolt engaging assembly includes at least one of a wedge-shaped structure and a movable plate. 
     
     
       4. The side tensioning assembly of  claim 2  wherein the bolt engaging assembly includes both a wedge-shaped structure and a movable plate. 
     
     
       5. The side tensioning assembly of  claim 2  wherein the cutout in the bolt engaging structure takes the form of a slot. 
     
     
       6. The side tensioning assembly of  claim 5  wherein the slot is centrally located in the movable plate. 
     
     
       7. The side tensioning assembly of  claim 2  wherein movement of the bolt engaging structure relative to the side plate is selected from the group consisting of: (a) translation; (b) rotation; and (c) a combination of sliding and rotation. 
     
     
       8. The side tensioning assembly of  claim 2  wherein the bolt engaging structure is slidable relative to the side plate in a motion selected from the group consisting of: (a) side-to-side motion; (b) up and down motion and (c) motion along a diagonal direction. 
     
     
       9. The side tensioning assembly of  claim 2  wherein the bolt engaging structure is hingedly connected relative to the side plate. 
     
     
       10. The side tensioning assembly of  claim 2  wherein the bolt engaging structure is pivotally connected relative to the side plate. 
     
     
       11. The side tensioning assembly of  claim 2  wherein the bolt engaging structure is tethered to the side plate. 
     
     
       12. A side tensioning system for retaining screen media between opposed first and second side plates in a vibrating-type screening machine, each side plate having at least one aperture, an inner surface and an outer surface, the side tensioning system comprising:
 a first tensioning assembly operatively connectable to the first side plate; the first tensioning assembly including a first tensioning rail mountable to the inner surface of the first side plate and connectable to a first portion of the screen media, at least one bolt engaging structure mountable to the outer surface of the first side plate, and at least one bolt assembly for fastening the first tensioning rail to the first side plate and to the at least one bolt engaging structure of the first tensioning assembly; and 
 a second tensioning assembly operatively connectable to the second side plate; the second tensioning assembly including a second tensioning rail mountable to the inner surface of the second side plate and connectable to a second portion of the screen media, at least one bolt engaging structure mountable to the outer surface of the second side plate, at least one bolt assembly for fastening the second tensioning rail to the second side plate and to the at least one bolt engaging structure of the second tensioning assembly; and 
 each bolt assembly including a bolt connectable to one of the first and second tensioning rails, one of the first and second side plates and one of the bolt engaging structures, a nut threadably engaged with the bolt for retaining the bolt to one of the bolt engaging structures; 
 each bolt engaging structure including a cutout formed therein sized larger than the bolt but smaller than the nut; each bolt engaging structure plate being movable between a bolt-securing position and a bolt-releasing position; 
 in the bolt-securing position, the bolt engaging structure partially occluding the at least one aperture in the side plate with the cutout aligned with the at least one aperture in the side plate such that when one bolt of the bolt assembly is tightly fastened to the bolt engaging structure with one nut of the bolt assembly, one of the first and second tensioning rails is drawn tightly against the inner surface of one of the first and second side plates thereby applying a tensile force to one of the first and second portions of the screen media; 
 in the bolt-releasing position, the bolt engaging structure being positioned so as to provide unobstructed access to the at least one aperture in one of the first and second side plates such that the bolt assembly can be detached from one of the first and second side plates without requiring disassembly of the bolt assembly. 
 
     
     
       13. The side tensioning system of  claim 12  wherein the at least one bolt engaging assembly includes at least one of a wedge-shaped structure and a movable plate. 
     
     
       14. The side tensioning system of  claim 12  wherein the at least one bolt engaging assembly includes both a wedge-shaped structure and a movable plate. 
     
     
       15. A vibrating-type machine comprising:
 a supporting structure for supporting screen media; 
 a pair of spaced apart first and second side plates attached to the supporting structure; each side plate having an at least one aperture, an inner surface and an outer surface, 
 a mechanism for imparting vibratory movement to the supporting structure; 
 screen media positionable between the first and second side plates; 
 a tensioning system for retaining screen media between the first and second side plates, the side tensioning system having: 
 a first tensioning assembly operatively connectable to the first side plate; the first tensioning assembly including a first tensioning rail mountable to the inner surface of the first side plate and connectable to a first portion of the screen media, at least one bolt engaging structure mountable to the outer surface of the first side plate, and at least one bolt assembly for fastening the first tensioning rail to the first side plate and to the at least one bolt engaging structure of the first tensioning assembly; and 
 a second tensioning assembly operatively connectable to the second side plate; the second tensioning assembly including a second tensioning rail mountable to the inner surface of the second side plate and connectable to a second portion of the screen media, at least one bolt engaging structure mountable to the outer surface of the second side plate, at least one bolt assembly for fastening the second tensioning rail to the second side plate and to the at least bolt engaging structure of the second tensioning assembly; and 
 each bolt assembly including a bolt connectable to one of the first and second tensioning rails, one of the first and second side plates and one of the bolt engaging structures, a nut threadably engaged with the bolt for retaining the bolt to one of the bolt engaging structures; 
 each bolt engaging structure including a cutout formed therein sized larger than the bolt but smaller than the nut; each bolt engaging structure being movable between a bolt-securing position and a bolt-releasing position; 
 in the bolt-securing position, the bolt engaging structure partially occluding the at least one aperture in one of the first and second side plates with the cutout aligned with the at least one aperture in one of the first and second side plates such that when one bolt of the bolt assembly is tightly fastened to the bolt engaging structure with one nut of the bolt assembly, one of the first and second tensioning rails is drawn tightly against the inner surface of one of the first and second side plates thereby applying a tensile force to one of the first or second portions of the screen media; 
 in the bolt-releasing position, the bolt engaging structure being positioned so as to provide unobstructed access to the at least one aperture in one of the first and second side plates such that the bolt assembly can be detached from the one of the first and second side plates without requiring disassembly of the bolt assembly. 
 
     
     
       16. A side tensioning system for attaching screen media onto at least one side plate in a vibrating-type screening machine, the at least one side plate having at least one aperture, an inner surface and an outer surface, the side tensioning system comprising:
 a tensioning assembly operatively connectable to the at least one side plate; 
 the tensioning assembly including a tensioning rail mountable to the inner surface of the at least one side plate and connectable to a portion of the screen media, at least one bolt engaging structure mountable to the outer surface of the at least one side plate, and at least one bolt assembly for fastening the tensioning rail to the at least one side plate and to the at least one bolt engaging structure of the tensioning assembly; 
 the at least one bolt assembly including a bolt connectable to the tensioning rail, the at least one side plate and the at least one bolt engaging structure, a nut threadably engaged with the bolt for retaining the bolt to the at least one bolt engaging structure; 
 the at least one bolt engaging structure including a cutout formed therein sized larger than the bolt but smaller than the nut; the at least one bolt engaging structure being movable between a bolt-securing position and a bolt-releasing position; 
 in the bolt-securing position, the at least one bolt engaging structure partially occluding the at least one aperture in the at least one side plate with the cutout aligned with the at least one aperture in the at least one side plate such that when the bolt of the at least one bolt assembly is tightly fastened to the at least one bolt engaging structure with the nut of the at least one bolt assembly, the tensioning rail is drawn tightly against the inner surface of the at least one side plate thereby applying a tensile force to the portion of the screen media; 
 in the bolt-releasing position, the at least one bolt engaging structure being positioned so as to provide unobstructed access to the at least one aperture in the at least one side plate such that the at least one bolt assembly can be detached from the at least one side plate without requiring disassembly of the at least one bolt assembly. 
 
     
     
       17. The side tensioning system of  claim 16  wherein the at least one bolt engaging assembly includes at least one of a wedge-shaped structure and a movable plate. 
     
     
       18. The side tensioning system of  claim 16  wherein the at least one bolt engaging assembly includes both a wedge-shaped structure and a movable plate. 
     
     
       19. A vibrating-type machine comprising:
 a supporting structure for supporting screen media; 
 at least one side plate attached to the supporting structure; the at least one side plate having an at least one aperture, an inner surface and an outer surface, 
 a mechanism for imparting vibratory movement to the supporting structure;
 a tensioning system for attaching screen media to the at least one side plate, the side tensioning system having: 
 a tensioning assembly operatively connectable to the at least one side plate; the tensioning assembly including a tensioning rail mountable to the inner surface of the at least one side plate and connectable to a portion of the screen media, at least one bolt engaging structure mountable to the outer surface of the at least one side plate, and at least one bolt assembly for fastening the tensioning rail to the at least one side plate and to the at least one bolt engaging structure of the tensioning assembly; and 
 each bolt assembly including a bolt connectable to the tensioning rail, the at least one side plate and one of the bolt engaging structures, a nut threadably engaged with the bolt for retaining the bolt to one of the bolt engaging structures; 
 each bolt engaging structure including a cutout formed therein sized larger than the bolt but smaller than the nut; each bolt engaging structure being movable between a bolt-securing position and a bolt-releasing position; 
 in the bolt-securing position, the bolt engaging structure partially occluding the at least one aperture in the at least one side plate with the cutout aligned with the at least one aperture in the at least one side plate such that when one bolt of the bolt assembly is tightly fastened to the bolt engaging structure with one nut of the bolt assembly, the tensioning rail is drawn tightly against the inner surface of the at least one side plate thereby applying a tensile force to the portion of the screen media; 
 in the bolt-releasing position, the bolt engaging structure being positioned so as to provide unobstructed access to the at least one aperture in the at least one side plate such that the bolt assembly can be detached from the at least one side plate without requiring disassembly of the bolt assembly.